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At UMass Memorial Health, we firmly believe in celebrating the unsung heroes who consistently demonstrate exceptional dedication, clinical excellence, compassion, and innovation in their roles. Our awards program is more than just a recognition — it's a tribute to the individuals and teams who go above and beyond to ensure the well-being, safety and satisfaction of our patients, families, and colleagues. We invite and encourage patients, family members, and employees alike to nominate deserving individuals for these prestigious awards.

In 2023, Kweku Akese was a senior at the Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science, thinking about college and making his mark in the world. Inspired by his passion for biochemistry and a personal connection to sickle cell disease—a disorder that alters the shape of red blood cells and blocks blood flow, leading to intense pain, organ damage, and other serious complications—Kweku wanted to make a difference in the lives of youth affected by this condition.

In the United States, nearly 90,000 people are currently on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, and the wait time average is three to five years. While finding a living donor is an often long and arduous process, this ended up being the easy part of the health journey for Nancy Hursey, a former nurse who was told she needed a kidney transplant amid living with diabetes and after two years on dialysis.